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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28308483">Destielf</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gwenwifar/pseuds/gwenwifar'>gwenwifar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Castiel the xmas elf, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gen, Original Character(s), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, not really about that though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:20:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,488</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28308483</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gwenwifar/pseuds/gwenwifar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel gets busted delivering gifts and mistaken for one of Santa's elves. He rises to the occasion like a proper Angel of the Lord.<br/>The idea came to me while reading myaimistrue's current Christmas WIP, and therefore it is hereby offered as a gift to myaimistrue, as a thank you for the joy it brought me to plan and write this little story. Happy Holidays, everyone.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Busted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/myaimistrue/gifts">myaimistrue</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the night before Christmas. Well, early evening before Christmas, and they were meeting at Charlie’s to exchange gifts and to plan a LARPing weekend sometime in January. Cas had come ahead with the gifts, because of course they were bringing gifts. Jack wouldn’t be too far behind with Sam and Eileen. Cas would have to go back for Dean, of course. He could probably have brought Dean and the gifts in one trip, but he wanted both his hands free to – anyway, not the point. The point was, he had teleported to just outside Charlie’s door (because <i>personal space, Cas</i> and <i>it's polite to knock, Cas</i>) with the gifts and well… a child had seen him pop up.</p><p>He was wearing a Christmas sweater and a Santa hat. Of course he was. And did he mention he was holding gifts? He was about to knock on Charlie’s door when he heard it.</p><p>“Are you an elf?”</p><p>He turned to look at the child. He couldn’t be more than 5 maybe. What was he doing out here alone? What should he say? When he didn’t say anything, the child moved closer and tried again.</p><p>“Are you? Are you one of Santa’s elves?”</p><p>Evidently, the child still believed in Santa and while Cas was not fond of lying he had discovered that he rather liked the idea of Santa, and did not want to disabuse the child. Besides, if he wasn’t one of Santa’s elves, how could he explain just showing up out of thin air? So he crouched down to the child’s level, shook his head slowly, as if he was bitterly disappointed at himself and whispered.</p><p>“It’s a secret. Nobody’s supposed to see me.”</p><p>The child’s eyes got bigger, and it was all he could do to contain the excitement.</p><p>“I told her! Mommy said Santa wasn’t coming this year but I told her he would.”</p><p>Castiel pondered that for a moment, trying to discern all the implications.</p><p>“She probably meant Santa wasn’t coming himself, you know. He’s not as young as he used to be and you know even with masks now, he could get really sick. So this year he’s sending us elves to deliver the gifts.”</p><p>He held up the packages in his hand as evidence. The child nodded as if he could see the sense in it. </p><p>“He is old, and I don’t think he eats too healthy. Too many cookies.”</p><p>They exchanged a knowing look, and Castiel was about to stand up to go about his business when the boy spoke again.</p><p>“Is one of those for me?”</p><p>He heard a muffled gasp then, and glanced around to see a half concealed form that had to be the child’s mother. She looked… defeated. Morose. As if all the weight of the world was on her shoulders.</p><p>“No, these are for this house,” he pointed. "But I’m sure your elf will be here soon enough." </p><p>The child looked doubtful. </p><p>“And my elf will have my gift?”</p><p>Cas nodded.</p><p>“When?”</p><p>“Soon.”</p><p>“How soon?”</p><p>"I'm afraid I don't have that information. I'm not your elf."</p><p>The woman looked increasingly distressed, and suddenly inspired, Cas stood up and pulled out his cell phone.</p><p>“I’ll try to find out, but you have to promise not to tell anyone you saw me. I could get in a lot of trouble if Santa finds out.”</p><p>The boy nodded enthusiastically, shifting on his sneakers in the snow. </p><p>“Yes, hello, this is Elf Castiel. I have a favor to ask, um, Stevie.”</p><p>“Cas?”</p><p>“I’m at 259 Eagle Lane.”</p><p>“You’re calling me from outside?” Charlie tried to cut in.</p><p>“I need to know when the boy’s elf will be here with the gifts.”</p><p>“Oooooh,” even Castiel could feel the cheerfulness ebb out of her voice for a moment. “Is it Evan, from next door? Short, kinda looks like Dean with Sam’s hair?”</p><p>Raising his brow and looking at the boy a bit suspiciously, Cas turns to Evan.</p><p>“Evan?”</p><p>The boy nods, wonder filling his eyes.</p><p>“About 5?”</p><p>He hesitated for a moment, long enough for Charlie to pipe in “I think he’s 6” before the boy responded.</p><p>“6 and a half.”</p><p>“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you a few questions to make sure you are the correct Evan, you understand. I can’t give out that kind of information to just anyone.”</p><p>Evan looks very serious all of a sudden, his gifts on the line.</p><p>“Letter to Santa?”</p><p>Dean had told him, a long time ago, that he might be a warrior but he looked like an accountant, and he certainly sounded like one now. Evan nodded.</p><p>“It’s so sad, Cas. His brother died last year and his dad couldn’t handle it and took off. I think they might be in real trouble.” from Charlie</p><p>“Name one item on your wishlist,” he proceeded in his best bureaucratic monotone.</p><p>“I asked for a Switch.”</p><p>“A Switch?” he asked into the phone, trying to sound like he was verifying the information instead of completely lost.</p><p>“He means a Nintendo Switch, Cas. It’s a game system,” from Charlie. “He probably asked for a game too. Maybe Animal Crossing?”</p><p>Cas gave a curt nod and droned out “Animal Crossing?”</p><p>The boy nodded, his smile getting bigger again.</p><p>“And Skyrim.”</p><p>“Skyrim?” again into the phone</p><p>“That’s no good. He’s too young for that one.”</p><p>“He checks out,” Cas says into the phone. “When can we expect delivery?”</p><p>“Got it in the cart right now. Sending you the store address so you can pick it up. They’re only open another hour, though, Cas.”</p><p>“Thank you,” he says into the phone before he hangs up.</p><p>Cas put the phone away, momentarily distracted by the buzz indicating that he’s received a message. No doubt the address from Charlie.</p><p>“I’m afraid I have bad news,” he informs the child.</p><p>A quick glance to where he had seen the woman shows him she seems to be both devastated and relieved that maybe she isn’t the one who’s going to have to break the boy’s heart after all. </p><p>“Santa decided you’re too young for the… Skyrim, was it? So you won’t be getting that.”</p><p>The eyes that had been on the edge of tears a moment ago clear up immediately, and the boy shrugs. </p><p>“Your elf is still wrapping your gifts, but he’ll be along shortly,” He stands up, finds himself taking his Angel of the Lord stance.</p><p>“Listen up, because this is very important. You must not be out here to see him. Kids aren’t supposed to see elves. We’ll get in trouble if you see anything else you’re not supposed to see, understand? I need you to go inside and stay away from all the windows – actually, you know what, it would be best if you went in your room and stayed there until your mother calls you.”</p><p>The boy turned and scampered off immediately. Cas shifted then, gave the woman an awkward but hopefully reassuring smile, and went inside to drop off the gifts he was still holding.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Shopping Trip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moment Charlie closed the door behind Castiel, he dropped the gifts, thanked her for her help, and teleported to the store. She picked up the packages from the floor and went to put them under her tree with the other ones, her smile up to full wattage. She’d better call and make sure Jack knew not to materialize outside the house.</p>
<p>She called Dean because she always called Dean. It was practically a reflex at this point.</p>
<p>“Charlie? Is something wrong?”</p>
<p>“No, but change of plans, Winchesters.”</p>
<p>Dean turned to holler over his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Wait up, something’s going on at Charlie’s.”</p>
<p>They gathered around the map table and Dean put the phone on speaker, Sam on the ready to sign the conversation for Eileen.</p>
<p>“Go ahead, Charlie.”</p>
<p>“So I only know what I could figure out from listening to half the conversation, but it seems my neighbor’s kid decided Cas was one of Santa’s elves,” and here she paused to allow for the chuckles and snickers she knew would be forthcoming.</p>
<p>The group did not disappoint. Their amusement was short-lived, however, as Charlie explained the difficult situation the Evan’s little family was in, and a few questions later, the group pulled up the store address on Sam’s laptop and pulled it up on the Maps app.</p>
<p>“It’s in a shopping center, so this will work out.” They quickly scanned to see what stores were within easy reach and a minute later, Jack was teleporting with Sam and Eileen while Dean called Cas on his way to the safe.</p>
<p>“Dean?” Cas answered. “Is something wrong?”</p>
<p>“Not even a little bit, Castielf.”</p>
<p>“I take it Charlie called you.”</p>
<p>“Yep.”</p>
<p>Cas groaned like a man who knows he’s never going to live this down. Dean chuckled in response, trying to sound reassuring.</p>
<p>“I think it’s adorable.”</p>
<p>Castiel gave a grunt and excused himself as if he’d just bumped into someone while he was on the phone.</p>
<p>“Reinforcements are on the way, gorgeous.”</p>
<p>“Re…inforcements?”</p>
<p>“Jack, Sam and Eileen are in the shopping center right now, picking some more stuff up. I’m headed out with Baby. Meet you by the big sign out front. The one with the giant milkshake.”</p>
<p>“I thought you didn’t want to drive?”</p>
<p>“Well, we can’t carry everything.” The duh was implied, but Cas had been around long enough to hear it. </p>
<p>Dean reached into the safe, pulled something out, stuck it in an envelope and headed to the car.</p>
<p>oOo</p>
<p>Dean pulled up two spots away from the giant milkshake and immediately spotted Eileen, holding a bag, and Sam not far behind her, pushing a cart load of bags.</p>
<p>“Did you buy the whole bookstore?” Dean teased.</p>
<p>“Well, they were only open for another 10 minutes, Dean, I didn’t have time to be selective. Plus, I don’t know what kind of books he likes.”</p>
<p>Before he could launch into a detailed breakdown of everything he had bought, Dean raised his hands in surrender.</p>
<p>“Not complaining. How are we going to get all these wrapped though?”</p>
<p>“Way ahead of you,” he tapped the biggest bag and Dean heard the hollow sound of some kind of container. </p>
<p>“I found this wooden box thing that kinda looks like a treasure chest. We stuff the books in it and tie a bow around it.”</p>
<p>“You got the bow?”</p>
<p>“In the box.”</p>
<p>“Awesome. Eileen?”</p>
<p>“Winter boots and coat. I got a gift receipt too, in case they need a different size.”</p>
<p>“Where’s Jack?”</p>
<p>Sam snickered and pointed to where Jack was walking up, a few small boxes under his left arm and a stuffed bear almost as tall as Jack hanging from his right.</p>
<p>“You think that’s big enough?” Dean teased.</p>
<p>“It was the biggest one they had…”</p>
<p>“Ignore Dean,” Sam explained. “He’s joking.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sorry,” Dean still forgot sometimes that the winged members of their family didn’t always recognize humor.</p>
<p>They set the treasure chest in baby’s back seat, and Sam began to fill it with the books he’d bought, and the board games Jack was handing over. Once the bow was in place, and the bear was settled next to the chest in the back seat, they started discussing their entrance and exit strategy. Dean mumbled something about finding Cas and headed into the game store.</p>
<p>He found Cas at the Customer Service desk, juggling half a dozen small bags and picking up two boxes. Before he could get to Cas, though, he saw a rack of gaming inspired Christmas cards, and picked one out. He scribbled a message inside while he was waiting to pay for it, and once that was done, he found Cas half way out the door. <br/>Tucking the card in his pocket with the envelope that was already there, Dean caught up with Cas and grabbed the two boxes.</p>
<p>“Found everything you needed?” he chuckled.</p>
<p>“I know it looks impressive, but it’s really just the Switch and a couple of games.”</p>
<p>Dean’s eyebrow went up, the twinkle in his eye giving him away.</p>
<p>“Okay and a few accessories.”</p>
<p>“Or all of them,” Dean ventured.</p>
<p>With a deep sigh and a wide smile Cas shook his head.</p>
<p>“Busted for the second time tonight.”</p>
<p>Dean leaned in to drop a quick kiss on Castiel’s sheepish grin, and they made it to the car just in time to hear that there seemed to be a plan in the final stages.</p>
<p>“Got it worked out?” Dean asked, handing the boxes to Jack.</p>
<p>When Sam nodded, Dean turned to Cas.</p>
<p>“Why don’t you and Jack zap those to Charlie’s for wrapping? Jack can fill you in on the plan while I head back with Sam and Eileen in the Impala and they fill me in.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Sappy Ending</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They rolled up a couple of houses down from Charlie’s, and quietly approached her back door. Well, as quietly as you can, while moving a treasure chest and a giant teddy bear through the shadows and the landscaping. </p>
<p>Jack opened the door as they approached, and stepped out, arms loaded with the wrapped gifts, and joined them. A quick nod behind him sent Cas out the front door and over to the neighbor’s. The group waited for Jack’s signal to indicate that Cas had Evan’s mom engaged in conversation at the front door before they moved in on the family’s back door.</p>
<p>Quietly, Sam picked the lock, and they walked through, checking around corners and ducking behind furniture. They made their way to the living room, arranged the chest and teddy by the tree, and while Jack settled the smaller gifts under the branches, Dean reached into his pocket again, shuffled the envelope out, tucked it in with the Christmas card.</p>
<p>Dean was about to seal the envelope when he stopped himself, pulled out his wallet and dug out all the cash.</p>
<p>“You got about 40, Sammy?” he whispered.</p>
<p>“40 what?”</p>
<p>Dean rolled his eyes, held up the cash he’d just pulled out of his wallet, and waited for Sam to check. </p>
<p>“Charlie said they were in trouble,” he mumbled. </p>
<p>He stuffed the money into the card and sealed the envelope, placing it carefully at about eye level on the tree. As quietly as efficiently as they could, they snuck back out the back door.</p>
<p>oOo</p>
<p>Cas walked up to the front door, one of the gifts in his hands and purpose in his step. He just had to make sure the child was out of the way and he kept her talking at the door long enough for Santa’s elves to do their thing. </p>
<p>He knocked and glanced around nervously as he waited. Sometimes he found it hard to believe he used to unflinchingly lead hordes in battle. Like right now, when he was this nervous waiting to talk to a perfectly harmless human. Maybe it was because he had things to lose now. Important things. Bow-legged, green eyed things. He might have gotten a little lost in that thought because the sound of the door opening startled him. He glanced up, willing himself to calm down, and noticed a small nose peering out of an upstairs window. </p>
<p>With a fierce glare towards the window, he stepped up, keeping the wrapped gift firmly in his grasp. This was bait. He was not about to let it go until he was ready.</p>
<p>“Good evening. I’m sorry to bother you this late on Christmas Eve. I have been asked to deliver a gift for Evan.”</p>
<p>That was too direct, he knew immediately. He was supposed to keep her engaged in conversation for a few minutes. He saw her reach hesitantly for the gift, but he didn’t make any effort to deliver it into her hands yet. Instead he noted.</p>
<p>“Are you okay? You don’t look well.”</p>
<p>The blushed then, embarrassed.</p>
<p>“Just tired.”</p>
<p>Seeing his opportunity, he gave a rueful chuckle.</p>
<p>“It’s been a year, hasn’t it?” And he launched onto a highly edited version of some of the latest events where “his father” came from “out of town” to “cause trouble” in his family, trying to cause a “family feud” because he was “bored”. As he had hoped it would, this led her to mention Evan’s father and how he’d bailed on them.</p>
<p>That was long enough, right? Trying to glance over her shoulder to determine if they were still in there, he couldn’t really get any useful information, so he went on about what a charming and smart boy Evan was, and asked how he was dealing with all the year’s changes. She relaxed into the conversation, clearly enjoying having a reason to rave about the boy. Where was his signal?</p>
<p>He thought he heard a rustling in the bushes, but he couldn’t see well enough in the darkness, and what kind of signal was that? Why didn’t one of them just pray to let him know they were clear? He must have given an exasperated sigh, because suddenly Evan’s mother stopped talking.</p>
<p>“I shouldn’t keep you. I’m sure you have places to go.”</p>
<p>But he hadn’t handed the gift over yet, and so she stood there, awkwardly waiting for him to give it up. He sent a silent prayer to Jack, and a second later, there was Dean, walking up on the sidewalk, pretty as you please.</p>
<p>“There you are, hon. You ready?”</p>
<p>He placed his hand on Castiel’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. </p>
<p>“Come on, our friends are waiting.”</p>
<p>Cas gladly delivered the gift and with a smile and a “Merry Christmas” walked away with Dean. </p>
<p>As soon as they heard the door close, Dean grabbed Castiel’s coat and yanked him into the bushes. In another second, the door was opening again, and Evan’s mom was looking up and down the street, clearly equally confused and delighted. When the door closed again, they made a mad dash for Charlie’s door and let themselves in, just as she called out for Evan.</p>
<p>Dean and Cas closed the door behind them, breathless from the rush, then looked at each other and started laughing.</p>
<p>“Let’s do it again next year,” Cas suggested.</p>
<p>“Hell, yeah. I’m in.”</p>
<p>He grabbed Castiel’s hand then and pulled him further into the house.</p>
<p>“Charlie!” he called. “Where is the mistletoe?”</p>
<p>“If you’re going to ditch us the second you come in to go make out with your boyfriend” she snarked “the least you can do is find your own damn mistletoe, Dean Winchester.”</p>
<p>But she was smiling brighter than her tree and she pointed in the general direction of her kitchen anyway, so Dean pulled Cas along and parked him right under the berries where he could take his sweet time with that kiss.</p>
<p>“Sometimes it’s like they’re 15,” Sam chimed in, in his best put out voice.</p>
<p>“15 and a half, Sam,” Cas tossed over his shoulder between kisses.</p>
<p>They joined the rest of the group in the living room just as they were voting to have the gifts passed around by the resident Christmas elves (Cas, and apparently by extension Dean) and soon made a mess of torn paper on the floor. When they got to the Christmas cards, Sam was suddenly reminded of the card Dean had left next door.</p>
<p>“Hey Dean,” he asked, “What did you slip into that card, anyway?”</p>
<p>“A couple hundred in cash?” he edged.</p>
<p>“Before that,” Sam refused to be distracted. “You slid an envelope inside there before you thought of the cash. Good thinking by the way.”</p>
<p>He shrugged, awkwardly locking eyes on the new cowboy boots he’d just gotten from Cas.</p>
<p>“I may have slipped one of those old war bonds we found in the bunker in there. Or 2.”</p>
<p>Silence fell suddenly in the group, and Dean raised his eyes not sure what to expect only to find equally sappy looks on all of the faces looking at him.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright! Charlie said they were in real trouble.” He set the boots down and mumbled “A real elf would have given them more than games, alright? They needed real help. A boy needs a real home.”</p>
<p>Charlie was the first to move. She squealed, scrambled up and made a mad dash for her room. Before anyone could comment, she was back, hugging the stuffing out of Dean, and sliding something onto his ears before planting a Santa hat on his head.</p>
<p>Sam grinned like a loon, pulling out his phone for a picture, as Dean reached up to find he now had pointy elf ears.</p>
<p>“Cas, get a bit closer. Bit lower.” Once he had Cas where he wanted, he took the picture. </p>
<p>“This one is going on my desktop, Destielf.”</p>
<p>“You’re not as funny as you think you are, Sammy.”</p>
<p>But now that he had done his big brother job and grouched about it, he had to admit, he had never been happier. Destielf. It had a nice ring to it.</p>
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